The Grand Théâtre de Québec announced this Friday the creation of a scholarship for an emerging artist worth $10,000 in memory of singer-songwriter Karim Ouellet, who died a little over a year and a half ago at the age of 37.
“It’s really a scholarship to commemorate the memory of Karim, his musical values, his pride in being from Quebec and living in his neighborhood, in the lower town, so the family is very proud and very touched,” we confided her sister Sarahmée, who will be part of the selection committee.
Initiated by the Grand Théâtre de Québec in the wake of the tribute show Bye bye bye Karim – La veillee des ami. e. s, presented last summer, the Karim-Ouellet scholarship will be awarded to a. he up-and-coming artist from Quebec “regardless of the musical genre,” explained Sarahmée.
The grant includes a bank of hours for press relations, but also a paid performance in the Quebec theater.
“It’s a scholarship that is really intended for young artists from Quebec who have not yet signed with a record label, who have not yet released any projects,” adds Sarahmée. To make a first album, go to the studio, do the communications, $10,000 is still a good amount. »
In a press release published this Friday, the programming director of the Grand Théâtre de Québec, Christian Noël, paid tribute to the man nicknamed the Fox.
“The idea of making a significant gesture in the long term seemed obvious to me: that of creating a grant in the name of Karim allowing artists to start their careers or give them an extra boost. An idea that Karim would undoubtedly have supported himself, given his journey and his involvement [notably with the organization Young Musicians of the World]. »
Interested candidates will be able to submit their files until December 1st. The selection committee made up of Sarahmée, a representative of the Grand Théâtre de Québec, another from the City of Quebec and another person designated by the family will announce the name of the recipient artist in February 2024 .
“We’re going to base ourselves on the quality of the texts, the language, the musicality, and we’re going to analyze all that,” Sarahmée tells us again. Of course, it’s very subjective, but we can still detect the marketing potential. »
Sarahmée sees this Karim-Ouellet scholarship as the start of a series of other tributes to come in memory of her brother.
“This is the start of other projects which will surely see the light of day in the coming months and years in Karim’s memory, because he was an artist who was very invested, who loved to create, who was there for the music above all, his goal was not to be the best known, it was to make his music and distribute it, so I think we can do lots of great things again. »
The announcement of the death of the interpreter of Love, who was found lifeless in mid-January 2022 in his music studio in Lower Town, shook Quebec. The coroner concluded that his death had occurred two months earlier following diabetic ketoacidosis, attributable to uncontrolled diabetes.
More than a year and a half later, Sarahmée admits to still having difficulty talking about it and says she wants to grieve in private. “What I can say is that it’s a huge loss for us, we try to live as we can. But it’s a void. Really. »
